Work: Survey: More satisfied and less stressed when working from home

Germans are working from home less – but those who do are less stressed and more satisfied with their work. This is the result of a survey conducted by the Institute for Digital Transformation (BIDT), which is part of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, among 1,922 employees in October.

Accordingly, only 39 percent of those surveyed still work at home at least occasionally, compared to 55 percent two years ago. The proportion of people working from home several times a week has also fallen steadily to just 23 percent of all employed people. But satisfaction with one’s own situation in the home office is at 89 percent, “at its highest level to date,” write the researchers. Of those who work almost exclusively at home, 98 percent are somewhat or very satisfied.

Less distraction, less idle time?

In contrast to companies that doubt productivity in the home office, 41 percent of home office employees actually see themselves working more productively at home. The reason given is often less distraction. Only 9 percent say they work less productively at home.

But 16 percent of all respondents complain that they often have to “kill time” at work in the company. Such periods of idleness can be better used at home, even privately, say 76 percent of home office workers. The home office is more flexible, work and private life are easier to balance, and there are no longer any trips to work. According to the survey, only 9 percent of home office employees complain about too much stress at work, but 21 percent of employees at work in the company complain.